“Daylight” by Matt & Kim from this year’s “Grand” album.
I don’t know these folks or their music, but I was sent an incredible video of theirs earlier this week, and then I was just sent this track today. It suits the New York sun that’s currently shining down on us (not least because the lyrics reference Prince Street and Grand Street).
Japandroids - “Young Hearts Spark Fire”
Vancouver fuzzy, distorted rock. I’d never heard of these folks and their slightly ridiculous band name before a couple of days ago, but some preliminary research suggests their album “Unfamiliar” dropped a couple of days ago.
I’ll go and seek it out now. Thanks to Ian Toombs for putting me up on this.
“God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters” - Moby
From the 1995 album “Everything Is Wrong” (considered by many to be Moby’s finest moment). This track was featured on the soundtrack to the film “Heat” in 1995 also, over the end-scene.
I hadn’t heard it it years, but it was sampled on a track called “I’m Me” which never made it on to Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter III” album which I sent to a few people, and my friend Chris identified the distinctive strings.
Barry White - “Mellow Mood (Part One)”.
From the 1974 album “Can’t Get Enough” and sampled to incredible effect for the last track/outro “North Star” on Raekwon’s 1994 “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx”.
Perfect Louisiana morning music.
RIP to “The Sultan of Smooth Soul”; “The Walrus of Love”.
”Do Tell” by Communication Project.
This appeared on a Chocolate Industries compilation called “Rapid Transit” about seven or eight years ago which is now near-impossible to find. Communication Project was a one-off collaboration between ultra-prolific producer Prefuse 73 and Doseone (a prolific performer himself, and most notably a member of art/music trio cLOUDDEAD).
This song is beautiful, and it pains me every time I hear it that it’s so short.
“…and the first time you lay your eyes on something truly beautiful it tends to stay that way…”
Jens Lekman “Pocketful of Money”.
I heard this in one of my favourite bars yesterday morning while drinking a curious re-interpretation of a Bloody Mary made with white wine and ginger. The song is great; the drink was a little ropey.
Nine Inch Nails “Zero-Sum” from the 2007 album “Year Zero”.
I have to confess to currently not being the best-informed NIN fan: I only own “The Downward Spiral” and “Year Zero” (both of which I stole from my brother over the years). That said, every time these records come back into my rotation I can’t quite understand why I haven’t yet sought out the rest of the back catalogue for more powerful/intense/unsettling/amazing music.
One day I will delve into all of the other recordings, and have no doubt that I’ll be fully consumed with them. In the meantime, I’ve just listened to this track on repeat five times in a row…
And for MASSIVE fans of Trent Reznor’s work, one track you may not have heard but you should definitely invest in is his appearance on El-P’s “Flyentology” (watch/listen here - unfortunately the vocal levels are a bit off, but you get the idea).
“Missin You Remix” - Drake and Trey Songz.
For months, I have listened to Drake on a daily basis - I literally haven’t been as excited as this about a rapper for five or six years. “Missin You” is originally from Trey Songz’ 2007 “Trey Day” album but Drake’s verse takes an already great track and makes it even better.
This is from the “Comeback Season Mixtape” (free download link here), released last year. It’s the second of three mixtapes Drake’s released: they’re all eminently worth downloading, and look out for his official full-length release on Atlantic Records later this year.
The lyric “I’m scared that every girl I care for will find a better man and end up happier in the long run” is one of the most poignant, honest hip hop lyrics I’ve ever heard. A sentiment I can relate to.
“Failing At Art” by San Diego band Years Around the Sun (read more about them here).
I stumbled across this on a blog last year and really liked it. It also neatly interprets part of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”.
